:^ 



The Woodcutter's 
Christmas 

BY 

UNWOOD TAFT, Ph. D. 




PRICE 25 CENTS 



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Franklin, Ohio 22^ Denver, Colo. 

944 So. Logaa Street 



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Elldridge Entertainment House 

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944 S. Logan St. 



The Woodcutter's 
Christinas 



A Play for Children 



By LINWOOD TAFT, Pb. D. 

Cbairman Patseants and Festivals Drama League of America. 
Director, American Pageant Association. 



PRICE 25 CENTS 
Copyrisht 1922, Eldridge Entertainment Hoiu* 



-PUBLISHED BY-^=^ 



ELDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE, 
Franklin, Ohio also Denver, Colo, 






Characters 



Woodcutter 

Wife 

Olga — Their eldest child, about twelve. 

John — About ten years old. 

Frederick 

Henry Twins, eight years old. 

Elizabeth — The youngest, five or six years old. 

The Child — A large doll may be used. 



ACT I. 

Two nights before Christmas. 

ACT II. 

The night before Christmas. 

ACT III. 
Christmas morning. 

©CI.0 63218 

TMP96-0C67ei 



The Woodcutter's Christmas 

r/iei stage is set as a living room or kitchen in a. 
peasant's cottage. There may he a fireplace at the right 
front with a table and chairs near it. A door at right 
rear leads into kitchen or other small room. A door at 
left rear opens into the yard. There is a ivindoiv at left 
front. Other furniture may be placed as needed. 

As the curtain rises the Wife, is sitting by the table 
mending. Olga and Henry are playing cat' s-cradle 
Elizabeth is watchhig them. They are singing a Christ- 
mas carol as the curtain rises. Any old carol or appro- 
priate Christmas song is suitable. At the end of tiie 
carol Elizabeth speaks. 

Elizabeth— How long is it now, Mother, before 
Christmas? 

Wife— Only one day more and then Christmas Day. 
Henry— And when do we put our shoes by the fire 
for St. Nicholas to fill? 

Wife— Tomorrow night when you go to bed you 
may leave your shoes out. But, who knows? You may 
find them filled with twigs. 

Henry— Why should they be filled with twigs? I ve 
been a good boy all the year. 

Olga— A good boy all the year! Who could it have 
been that ran off with 'Lizbeth's doll yesterday and pre- 
tended that he had thrown it in the fire? 

Wife— And who could it have been that chased the 
cat into the pantry and frightened her so that she 
knocked over the pitcher of milk? 

Olga— And last week who slid off the roof of the 
shed and tore great holes in his clothes? 

3 



The Woodcutter's Christmas 



Henry— Well, maybe I did; but I didn't mean to be 
bad. 

Olga — "Didn't mean to" never helped anybody yet 
after the harm was done. 

Henry — Well, you needn't be so goody-goody. Who 
was it pulled brother John's hair and scratched his face? 

Olga — He called me names. I guess you'd — 

Wife — (interrupting) Children! Children! No 
more squabbling. The good saint will never visit a 
house where there is always quarrelling and hard words. 
He gives only to good children. 

Olga — I could be good and gentle if the boys were- 
n't always teasing me. 

Henry — And so could I be good if I had some nice 
toys to play with. Then I wouldn't always have to be 
looking around for something to do. Oh, I do hope Saint 
Nicholas brings me a goat and a cart and a harness with 
a silver bell on it. 

Wife — Goats and carts and silver bells are for the 
sons of rich men. Your father is a poor woodcutter and 
you must be satisfied with simple gifts — if you are lucky 
enough to get any at all. 

Olga — {putting arm around mother's neck) I know 
how hard you work, Mother dear, and how father walks 
all the way down the mountain, through the town and up 
the other mountain, over there to the forest 
where he cuts wood all day so that he may have money 
to buy us food and clothes. But I do wish I could have 
a new dress with a silken sash and a pretty blue ribbon 
for my hair. 

Henry — I asked Daddy this morning to tell Saint 
Nicholas that I want some new skates, a red cap, a watch, 
and the goat. 

Wife — I wish you might have such fine presents, but 
poor children must be content with simple things and be 
thankful that there is bread and soup enough so that 
they will not be hungry. 



The Woodciittei''s Christmas 



{John and Frederick come in carrying or dragging 
after them a small evergreeri tree.) 

John — See what a fine tree we have! 

Frederick — And we got another one bigger than 
this, to set up in the yard for the birds. (Goes to the 
window and points.) See? It is there by the gate. 

Wife — (after looking out) It is too dark to see 
well, but I'm sure it's a fins tree. The birds will have a 
great feast on the grain we will fasten to it. 

Frederick — They'll be glad it's Christmas, I guess. 

Elizabeth — As glad as we are, won't they? 

Wife — It is past the time for your father to come. 
He is late tonight. Put the tree in the corner there, 
John. Olga, get the table ready for supper. (They do 
as told.) John, (hesitating slightly) did you hear any 
wolves as you came from the forest? 

John — Not a single howl. Mother. I hope Father 
gets me the dog I asked him to bring me. Then I can 
go to the woods any time I like and not think of wolves. 

(As John speaks the Wife opens the door and looks 
anxiously doivn the hill. After a moment she waves hor 
hand in greeting.) 

Wife — Here he is, now. You were so late I was al- 
most frightened. What kept you? 

(The children run toicards the door with shouts of 
"Daddy," "What did you bring me for Christmas?" "May 
I have it noiv?" They stop suddenly as he appears in the 
doorivay with nothing in his hands, but his ax.) 

Woodcutter — The snow was deep and I had to walk 
sloAvly. (Noticing the sudden quiet of the children.) 
What's the matter? Nobody a kiss for Daddy? 

Henry — I thought you stopped in the town to buy 
my skates and a red cap and a goat and — ■ 

Eliz. — (suddenly sitting flat on the floor and be- 
ginning to cry) I want my dolly! I want my dolly! 

Olga — I wanted a dress and a sash and a blue rib- 
bon for my hair. 



The Woodcutter's Christmas 



John — You said you would stop in the town and see 
about my dog. 

Fred. — I told you I wanted a sled, but you haven't 
brought me even — a — stick — of — candy! 

{Wife puts soup and bread 07i the table.) 

Woodcutter — Children! Children! Did I really 
promise to buy you presents tonight? John did I tell 
you I would buy you a dog? 

John — N-no, I guess you didn't say so for sure. 

PFOODCUTTER — Henry, did I promise to get you all 
those things? 

Henry — I wanted you to get them, and I asked you 
to get them, and you said — 

Woodcutter — {leaning down to hug him) All right, 
Son, what did I say? 

Henry — {after a struggle toith himself) I guess, 
maybe, you said you'd see what you could find. 

Woodcutter — (swinging Elizabeth to his shoulder) 
And so you want a doll, and Olga wants a dress with a 
silken sash, and a blue ribbon, and Fred, here, wants a 
sled. {Suddenly serious) I wish I could persuade St. 
Nicholas to bring you all everything that you want. But 
you mustn't expect that much. I do promise, though, 
(holding up one hand) solemnly, to stop in the town on 
my home tomorrow night and get something for each of 
you. Fred may get only a stick of candy instead of a 
sled, and I don't know where John would get bones for a 
dog. It is all we can do to get bread and soup for all of 
us. But we will see. Let's have supper now. Sit down, 
children, and give thanks to the good God who has sup- 
plied us with food to eat, clothes to wear, and fire to 
warm ws. {They sit at the table or stand near it with 
clasped hands and closed eyes for a moment. As they 
begin to eat, the Wife 7noves around to the left of the 
Woodcutter and speaks to him so that the children do not 
hear.) 

Wife — Did you get out of the forest before the 
wolves began to howl? 



The Woodcutter's Christmas 



Woodcutter — Yes. But just as I left the forest I 
heard a cry. It sounded very strange. {As though try- 
ing to reassure himself.) It must have been a panther 
or a wildcat, even if it did sound almost like a child. I 
started to go back but I was already late and I remem- 
bered my promise to you to leave the forest before dark 
so I came on. It must have been a wild animal, but the 
cry stayed in my ears all the way home. I can hear it yet. 
What if it was a child? 

Wife — Thank God you didn't turn back. It was 
surely a wild beast hunting for its supper. Now, eat 
yours in peace and safety. 

CURTAIN 

ACT II. 

The scene is the same as in Act I. It is now Christ- 
mas Eve. The evergreen tree is set upon the table at the 
rear center of the stages There is room to pass behind it. 
There are four candles on the table to light the tree,' 
which is decorated with strings of berries and such sim- 
ple ornajuents. As the curtain rises, the five children. 
are dancing around the tree, hands joined, singing ai 
carol. At the end of the carol, they gather in a group at 
the front of the stage. 

Henry — I hope Daddy brings me some skates and a 
red cap and a goat and wagon, and a harness with a sil- 
ver bell. 

John — And I hope he brings me a dog. He could 
catch rabbits and squirrels to eat and he would scare the 
wolves away. 

Elizabeth — (jumping up and down and clapping 
her hands) My daddy's going to bring me a doll! My 
daddy's going to bring me a doll! 

Olga — I asked him for something useful; something 
that I need. A dress is very useful and so is a sash. I 
hope he will think a blue ribbon for my hair is useful, 
too. 



The Woodcutte?''s Christmas 



Frederick — I wanted a sled, but a pair of mittens 
or a stick of candy would do. Anythirig would do, just 
so it was something. 

Wife — ('putting her hand lovingly on Frederick's 
head) That's my good boy. Always pleased with little, 
and always willing to give up when necessary. Children, 
you must remember that your father is a poor man and 
works hard in the forest all day so that we may have 
enough to eat and clothes to keep us warm. He has no 
money to buy the pretty things you saw in the shops 
down in the town. 

Frederick — Won't he bring us a7iy thing? 

Wife — I hope so, dear. I'm sure he will bring some- 
thing. You mustn't be disappointed, though, if it isn't 
what you wanted. {As she has spoke?i she has moved 
uneasily to the ivindow and looked out. She speaks again 
from there.) I don't see what is keeping your father so 
long. It is later, even, than last night. 

Olga — Perhaps he is in the town buying presents 
for us. 

John — He promised, really promised, to stop work 
early and buy presents for us in the town. 

Wife — John, boy, run out to the yard gate and see 
if he is coming. 

Frederick — I'll go, too. (But John has already 
snatched up a cap and has run out.) 

Wife- — Never mind, Son. Some other time you can 
go. 

John — {coming in quickly) Hurrah! He's coming! 
I can see his lantern shining on the snow more than 
half way up from the town. Oh, I hope he has my dog. 

Henry — And I hope he has my skates and my red 
cap and my goat — • 

Eliz. — And my dolly with real hair, and a pink— 
Fred. — And my sled, or at least something for me. 
Olga — I hope he has my blue ribbon ! 
Wife — Come. Let's sing our Christmas song again. 



The Woodcutter's Christmas 



We'll leave the door open a little and then he will hear 
us singing and hurry. But John, did you say you saw his 
lantern? Surely, that couldn't be. He has never taken 
a lantern. He always leaves the forest before dark, and 
there are no wolves between us and the town. 

John — Perhaps he borrowed one. I saw a light 
shining on the snow, anyway. Come on. Let's sing our 
song. 

(They join hands and dance around the tree, sing- 
171(1, as at the opening of the scene. The Wife stands by 
the ivindoiv looking out. Near the end of the carol she 
goes to the door and opens it, standing as if awaiting the 
Woodcutter, ivho comes in and interrupts the carol he- 
fore it is finished. He carries the Child, ivrapped in his 
coat, in his arms. The children crowd around him as on 
the previous night, but quietly since they see the butv- 
dle in his arms. He sits on a bench near the front of 
the stage. The others group themselves around him. 
They suddenly seem to realize that so small a bundle 
cannot contain their ivished-for gifts.) 

John — Couldn't you find a dog? Even a little one? 

Olga — I guess my dress was too heavj' for you to 
carry. 

Fred. — I said anything would do, so it was some- 
thing; although I did want a sled. 

Henry — My red cap might be in a bundle no larger 
than that, and maybe my skates, but a goat — 

Eliz. — It's just big enough to be my dolly. I hope 
she has a pink dress and real hair. 

Woodcutter — No, 'Lizbeth, it isn't a doll with a 
pink dress, but it has real hair and you can play with it. 
( To Henry : ) It isn't a goat to draw you about in a cart. 
You must draw it. (To Frederick:) It's ever so much 
more fun than a sled. (To Olga:) It isn't a dress for 
you. You must find a dress for it. (To John:) It can- 
not, like a dog, scare the wolves away from you. You 
will have to protect it. (He opens the bundle and shoivs 
the Child, a baby, wrapped in a ragged ivool scarf such 



10 The Woodcutter's Christmas 



as men wear about their necks lohen working out of 
doors in winter. They all show varying degrees of as- 
tonishment.) 

Eliz. — (ivho has felt of the Child's head) It has 
real hair! 

Henry — If I had a goat and a cart it could ride 
every day. 

Fred, — I can make a sled for it to ride on. 

Olga — One of my dresses would be too large but I 
can make a small one if Mother helps me. 

John — {shaking his head) Now, we really do need 
a dog to watch this baby. 

Wife — Whose child is it, and where did you get it? 
Look, it hasn't any clothes! Where did you get it? 

Woodcutter — I found it. As I promised, I left my 
work early to stop in the town and buy presents. Just 
as I was near the edge of the forest, I heard the same 
cry that I told you of hearing last night. It seemed to 
come from a thicket at my right. It was still daylight, so 
I thought nothing could harm me and I went to the thick- 
et and looked but there was nothing there. I thought I 
had imagined the sound, and started on. At once the cry 
came again, this time from behind me. I thought it 
must be an animal, but it sounded so much like the cry 
of a child that I went back and looked. There wasn't any 
living thing there. I was getting uneasy by this time, 
and started home again as fast as I could walk. Before 
I had taken ten steps the cry came again, louder than 
before. This time it seemed to come from my right, and 
it sounded exactly like a child crying with the cold. I 
looked in the bushes at the right of the path, and there,. 
lying on the snow with nothing on, was this baby. I put 
my scarf about it and wrapped it in my coat and so came 
home. When I came to the town I remembered my prom- 
ise to look for gifts I could buy, but the baby needed 
fo»d and shelter and I hurried home. So, children, this. 



The Woodcutter's Christmas 11 

is the only gift I have for you and you must share it 
among you, caring for it by turns so that your mother 
will not be burdened too much. What do you say? 

Fred. — I think it is the very nicest gift we could 
have. 

Eliz. — It hasn't a pink dress, but it has real hair. I 
like it better than a doll. 

Henry — I don't know what a boy's going to do with 
a baby, but it's all right. You couldn't leave it in the 
snow to freeze. 

Olga — I shall have such fun making a dress for it. 
Maybe, 'Lizbeth, it can be a pink one. 

JOHN^ — I'll help Fred make a sled for it to ride on. 
We need another baby, now, 'Lizbeth is getting so big. 

W^FE — What shall we do with it? Where shall it 
sleep? 'Lizbeth's cradle is broken. Let me see — 

John — (dragging a box from under the table) I got 
this for my dog to sleep in. It's long enough for this 
baby. 

Olga — {ivho has gone out and returned with a small 
pillow.) Here's my pillow. I don't need it. 

Eliz. — Put my little shawl over it. Put my little 
shawl over it. 

{The Wife begins to put the Child to bed in the box. 
The Woodcutter stands looking on, as do the children 
who presently begin to sing a carol softly as they loatch. 
"Silent Night, Holy Night," or a similar carol ivould be 
suitable. The curtain falls just as the carol ends.) 
CURTAIN 

ACT III. 

{Christmas morning.) 

{The room is empty. It remains as at the end of 
Act II, except that the Child is no longer in the box. It 
has been replaced by gifts but the change is not appar- 
ent. Soon after the curtain rises, the Wife comes in^ 
looks around, and then turns to the dooi' and calls the 
@hildren.) 



12 The Woodcutter's Christmas 

Wipe — John! 'Lizbeth! Children! Come, it is 
Christmas morning. Come and greet the day — the birth- 
day of our Lord. {She kneels hack of the box, facing the 
audience, and begins to lift the covering from the Child 
when the children rush in, laughing and talking, and ex- 
changing greetings. "Happy Day!" "Good Cheer to all!" 
"Merry Christmas!" They gather around the box.) 

Eliz. — I want to see my dolly baby ! 

Wife — The child's not here! Olga, where is it? 
Someone must have hidden it! This is no time to be 
playing tricks. Bring it at once! 

OlgA: — I didn't hide it. Why, I haven't even been 
in this room since last night. How could I hide it? Be- 
sides, since Father brought it to us last night, I haven't 
wanted to play tricks on anybody. It seems as though 
everybody is my friend. 

Eliz. — (who has been investigating th& contents of 
the box) Why, here's my dolly with a pink dress. And 
real hair! Oh, Daddy, you did get me a dolly, after all. 

(The other children begin to discover gifts in the 
box or near it.) 

Henry — Some skates! St. Nicholas brought me 
some skates! (He sits on the floor to try them on.) 

Olga — What a pretty sash! And a blue ribbon! 
And here's my dress! Oh, how happy I am! 

Fred. — See here! Here's my sled. Now I can give 
the new baby a ride. But where is the new baby? 

John — (after looking all around, has finally found 
a basket or box under the table, tvith a tiny puppy in it.) 
And here's my dog! He's pretty little, but I guess he'll 
grow, and then he can watch the baby. Hasn't anybody 
seen the baby? 

Wife — It was too little to get out of the box and 
crawl away. Some of you must have hidden it. Come, 
children, a joke's all right but this has gone far enough, 
especially as your father was kind enough to walk back 
to the town after we were asleep to get these gifts for 
you. 



The Woodcutter's Christmas 13 

Woodcutter — I bought no gifts. I never saw these 
things before. Children, where is the baby? Where 
have you hidden it? John, where is it? 

John — Honest, Daddy, I haven't seen it. Why 
should I hide it? 

Woodcutter — Olga, do you know? 

Olga — No, indeed! I wouldn't take it out of its 
warm bed this cold morning. 

Woodcutter — Henry ? 

Henry — I didn't touch it. 

Woodcutter — Frederick ? 

Fred. — No. 

Woodcutter — 'Lizbeth is too small to have lifted it, 
so where can it be? 

Wife — It must be in the house, somewhere. You 
look in the other room, Olga, while we look here. (After 
a thorough search.) No, there's no trace of the Child, 
anywhere ! 

Woodcutter — (aside to Wife) Where did the gifts 
come from. Wife? 

Wife — I thought you must have gone to the town 
again after we were asleep. 

Woodcutter — I didn't stir out of bed until this 
morning, and I haven't been out of your sight since. 
Where could they have come from? You didn't get them, 
did you? 

Wife — No. 

Eliz. — iwho is playing ivith the doll) This is a 
nice doll, but I wish I had my real baby. 

Olga — It was such a pretty baby. I never saw such 
a pretty baby in my life, before. Its face shone like the 
candles on the altar. 

Frederick — (pulling at his mother's arm. and 
speaking in an uncertain way, as though puzzled) Do 
you suppose — do you suppose — it could be the Christ 
Child? It is said the Christ Child sometimes visits good 
people. 



14 The Woodcutter's Christmas 

Eliz.— Who is the Christ Child, Mother? Tell me 
about the Christ Child. {The children gather around the 
Woodcutter and the Wife, near the front of the stage.) 

Wife — I only know what some folks say. They say 
that sometimes the Christ Child comes down from Hea- 
ven and appears to people just as this child came to us. 
If the people take the Child in and care for it, everybody 
in that house will be well and happy for a whole year. No 
one who sees it will speak an ugly or unkind word all the 
year, but will be loving and gentle. 

Olga — I haven't wanted to say a single hateful word 
since Father brought this Child home last night. 

Woodcutter — I remember now! A strange light 
seemed to shine around us as I brought the Child home. 

Wife — That was what John saw. He thought you 
had borrowed a lantern. It was the glory of God shin- 
ing around the Christ Child! 

Fred. — I don't often want to say hateful words, but 
I never felt so happy and sort of friendly before. 

Woodcutter — And the gifts! They couldn^t come 
in by themselves. Only the Christ Child could have 
wrought that miracle! 

Wife — It is a miracle! Indeed it is! The Christ 
Child has visited us! What a happy and thankful fam- 
ily we shall be, not only for a year, but for all the years 
of our lives! 

CURTAIN 



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traveling salesmen, shoppers, mechanical dolls and 
mechaneal maid of all work. A good little stunt where 
a short, clean, humorous number is desired. Plays 
about 30 minutes. Price, 25c. 

The Brightville Indoor Chautauqua 

By Bessie Baker and Nellie Hanna. Here is a brand 
new idea for an evening's entertainment. It is in S 
parts, each part representing a day at Chautauqua. 
Gives wide scope for introduction of large cast and 
many specialties. CoBiplete programs suggested as 
follows: Part 1, Chautauqua Concert Company; Part 
2, Living Pictures; Part 3, Musical Entertainers; 
Part 4, Farmers' Night; Part 5, Coonville Jubilee 
Singers. Price, 35c. 

Sorepaw & Fells Indoor Circus 

By Margaret S. Bridge and Margaret H. Hahn. The 
Grand Annex and Musee, Freaks, Curiosities and 
Monstrosities, never were in it with the marvelous, 
amazing, mystifying array outlined in its pages. Ar- 
tistic, ambling, agile, 'andsome acrobats; cajoling, 
cadaverous, costly, curious, cunning clowns; Hee- 
Shee, the Monkey Girl of Yucatan; all of these and 
many others will be seen in the Big Peerade before 
the show^ starts, ladies and gentlemen. Keep to the 
right — don't crowd. Price, 25c. 

As Ye Sew 

A "talking doll" missionary play by Dorothy Crich- 
ton. A lot of fun and some wholesome lessons are 
contained in the conversation of the dolls who dis- 
cuss the motives of their donors. Splendid for Young 
People's or Missionary Societies. 10 girls, 1 boy, or 
all girls. Time, 20 minutes. Priee, ISc. 

Finding the Key 

A dialog and drill for 10 or 12 girls and boys. Suit- 
able for any religious program, but especially for 
Easter. Time, 20 minutes. Deals with problems of 
youth, recreations, etc.; also with those of Commun- 
ity Life and the present spirit of Unrest. Interspersed 
with suggested songs. Drill very effective. 25c. 

Eldridge Entertainment House 

FRANKLIN, OHIO also DENVER, COLO. 

944 S. Logan St. 



^if 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



015 910 043 1 



New Song-Recitations 



HERE is a list of very clever child- 
impersonations or good encores 
for children. The lines are by 
Margaret Fassitt, the music by Anna 
and Harry C. Eldridge. They will 
be winners on your program. 



Ain t It The Limit? ) ^: 

When You Ask About Your Fixins f soc' 



H Santa Shouldn't Come To Me| _ 
Fve Been And Had The Measles ) "soc 



Both in 

one 
number 



Both in 

one 
number 



I Wish I Had A Ginger-cake ) 

/v rn • r numoe 

Our Twins J soc 

When Grandpop Was A Boy ^ 
When Daddy Took Me Up i ^„ 
In A 'PlaneJ 



Eldridge Entertainment House 

FRANKLIN, OHIO also DENVER, COLO. 

944 S. Logan St. 



Both in 

one 
number 



